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[Blader]

The secretary of labor runs a fast food empire. Shitty food service jobs are the perfect representation of the bad jobs that make up the modern American economy.

More than that, he wants to automate those jobs, which seems even more emblematic of the modern American economy.

 

[GuyKazama]

That's fair but it doesn't make sense in the context of this pick or the Tillerson pick.

You are mostly correct, which is why Deputy Secretary of State needs political experience. Perry has the executive experience.

 

[B-Dubs]

So he'll eliminate himself so we never have to hear from him again? This may be a fair trade...

Then who will maintain our nuclear arsenal?

I seriously don't think people know the DoE takes care of that shit.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Trump seems to have no core values or beliefs, but he is strikingly consistent in appointing cabinet secretaries that are openly hostile to the Federal government's role in their respective cabinets.

An energy secretary who definitely doesn't belief the Fed has any role in regulating energy policy. Probably doesn't even think the US needs a nationwide energy policy, despite being the most powerful and influential nation in human history and the most important leader in the worldwide effort to develop post fossil fuel energy sources.

An education secretary that has spent millions of dollars undermining the concept of public, tax funded education.

An EPA director that is currently, as in as I type this, suing the EPA. Who most likely doesn't believe the environment needs to be protected.

A HUD director who believes the concept of public housing is harmful to society, and who has no meaningful experience managing housing or urban development.

The secretary of labor runs a fast food empire. Shitty food service jobs are the perfect representation of the bad jobs that make up the modern American economy. The secretary of the treasury comes from the business that blew up the American treasury 8 10 years ago. The secretary of small business runs a company that has been destroying smaller competitors for 30 years through aggressive under pricing and talent poaching.

Absolutely terrifying for the future of America, but remarkably consistent for a President Elect that can be on both sides of an issue in the same paragraph.

? What is he currently suing the EPA for? He did a couple years ago but lost.

 

[LucidMomentum]

It does not mean that it can't be run more efficiently. You can't maximize the well being of citizens by wasting billions on red tape. You can't maximize the effectiveness of federal agencies if you can't remove poorly performing employees. The government could use some business common sense, where the bottom line actually matters.

That's fair but it doesn't make sense in the context of this pick or the Tillerson pick.

Exactly, you wouldn't pick someone with a massive conflict of interest in a business expecting them to be impartial and objective, nor would you pick someone with minimal qualifications to such an elevated position if we're talking business common sense.

Trumps picks are tantamount to nepotism.

 

[Ourobolus]

Then who will maintain our nuclear arsenal?

I seriously don't think people know the DoE takes care of that shit.

Currently the NNSA operates as a autonomous entity of DOE, so they don't necessarily have to comply with DOE's shit. Here's hoping they can stay that way.

 

[Blader]

It's not really clear to me what the fretting over Perry and the DOE's handling of the nuclear arsenal is about?

You are mostly correct, which is why Deputy Secretary of State needs political experience. Perry has the executive experience.

Deputy Secretary of State needs political experience, but the actual Secretary doesn't?

? What is he currently suing the EPA for? He did a couple years ago but lost.

Over the Clean Power Plan.

 

[Aikidoka]

I work at a DoE lab (researching that nonsensical nuclear crap) and everyone's pretty incredulous about this.

 

[BrutishMrFish]

If they're successful, America is successful. Why would you not want this?

Because it's patently untrue.

At the end of the day, rich people who get even richer by shipping jobs overseas, taking advantage of housing bubbles, or just by being anal-retentive penny-pinchers do not benefit any Americans other than themselves.

 

[Delt31]

Again, those two things are not comparable. Exxon's success comes from its profit, regardless of the well-being of the consumer. The government can have a surplus, but if it is not taking care of its citizens, then they have failed.

surplus will be used to help the country no question.

Profit for the gov = surplus. Surplus = happy US citizens. That's my quick summary ; )

 

[Ourobolus]

surplus will be used to help the country no question.

Profit for the gov = surplus. Surplus = happy US citizens. That's my quick summary ; )

It's missing a large part of "where did that money come from?"

Say the government scraps Medicare/Medicaid and suddenly gets a surplus (I'm too lazy right now to run the numbers to determine if this is enough money, but that's not the point) - the people are happy then, yeah?

EDIT: Consider the fact that we have a cabinet specifically focused on essentially removing/hamstringing major parts of the government. So yeah, spending will go down, but they aren't too keen on providing any services for the people. Unless you are Boeing or Lockheed Martin I highly doubt you'll see a penny of that surplus come your way.

 

[stanis]

I don't work for the department of energy so I don't have specifics. That doesn't mean I can't be glad to see an appointment that will review and adjust the budgets in alignment to how private industry operates.

Not saying the new appointment will be perfect and the department will improve in every way. But my opinion of this appointment remains cautiously positive.

if u dont work for the agency how would you know it needs trimming then?

bruh just stop while u can

 

[Blader]

surplus will be used to help the country no question.

Profit for the gov = surplus. Surplus = happy US citizens. That's my quick summary ; )

That surplus only makes for happy U.S. citizens if it's directed into services that benefit U.S. citizens. Services that Trump's cabinet and the GOP writ large are completely opposed to.

 

[subrock]

talkingbuttholesaysthingsarelookingprettygood.gif

I'm just really putting my money on private corporations to fix this, ie Tesla, since it appears we are going to be in the dark ages for a couple years (please only let it be 2)

 

[Ourobolus]

if u dont work for the agency how would you know it needs trimming then?

bruh just stop while u can

If he's really serious he should be excited for the DOE to push for more renewable energy, since it makes no sense to continue investing in older "technologies" like coal.

 

[Ominym]

if u dont work for the agency how would you know it needs trimming then?

bruh just stop while u can

Because they automatically assume Gubbermint = bad, business = good because they've been told ad nauseam that unrestricted capitalism will save the world. It's really that simple.

 

[darkwing]

I have been very supportive of Trumps picks as I love injecting proven business folks who have no money incentive to do harm HOWEVER this is a terrible pick. Rick perry is borderline incompetent. Well I guess you can't have it all.

yes, wealth will trickle down

 

[kaching]

Each of these picks keeps reminding me of the "That Guy?!?" spittake skit that Colbert and Stewart did for Trump. It continues to be just as relevant for every single one of these picks.

 

[Nafai1123]

surplus will be used to help the country no question.

Profit for the gov = surplus. Surplus = happy US citizens. That's my quick summary ; )

Economists largely agree that Trump's tax policy will cost the country. His tax cuts alone will cost us 6 trillion over the next 10 years. Where is that money coming from?

 

[Ourobolus]

Economists largely agree that Trump's tax policy will cost the country. His tax cuts alone will cost us 6 trillion over the next 10 years. Where is that money coming from?

Trump knows more than these so-called "experts," dude.

 

[jmdajr]

late on this?

Energy Department says it won’t give Trump team list of climate change staffers

The Department of Energy received significant feedback from our workforce throughout the department, including the National Labs, following the release of the transition team’s questions. Some of the questions asked left many in our workforce unsettled. Our career workforce, including our contractors and employees at our labs, comprise the backbone of DOE and the important work our department does to benefit the American people. We are going to respect the professional and scientific integrity and independence of our employees at our labs and across our department.

We will be forthcoming with all publicly-available information with the transition team. We will not be providing any individual names to the transition team.

also

Amid this uncertainty about the future of climate science under the new administration, the Washington Post also reported this morning that “scientists have begun a feverish attempt to copy reams of government data onto independent servers in hopes of safeguarding it from any political interference,” including efforts to copy irreplaceable data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at a “guerrilla archiving” event in Toronto, as well as efforts to compile online portals for scientific information.

Meteorologist Eric Holthaus tweeted this weekend asking scientists to use a Google spreadsheet to list links to .gov databases they don’t want to see disappear, prompting dozens of entries from scientists, as well as offers from investors, lawyers, and database managers to help protect and store the data. While it's unclear that a Trump Administration would necessarily spell destruction for these databases, many scientists aren't waiting around to find out. In addition, this week at the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, lawyers from the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund will be holding one-on-one consultations with researchers who feel they might need help protecting their data.

 

[Ourobolus]

late on this?

Energy Department says it won’t give Trump team list of climate change staffers



also

Good.

 

[Psychoward]

late on this?

Energy Department says it won’t give Trump team list of climate change staffers



also

this is fucking depressing that they need to do this

Wish them all luck, they're literally trying to save the world.

 

[Parkhater]

The idea that business men are what is needed to turn this country around is laughable. I could see if it were business men like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet who have dedicated their life to helping people as well as accumulating wealth but the people Trump put into office don't fit that description. These people have been about making money and I'm pretty sure they took this job to make money. Just because you give them a government job doesn't mean they will work for the people.

 

[Jeffrey]

late on this?

Energy Department says it won’t give Trump team list of climate change staffers

also

should be common practice now after the bs the bush administration was doing fudging their data on climate change.

 

[gaugebozo]

Pretty glad now that I'm not going into university research. Particle physics' budget comes almost entirely from the DOE. Guess we can shut down the plans for any involvement in the new linear collider.

Imagine having just started out as a post doc. Holy shit.

 

[gaugebozo]

Economists largely agree that Trump's tax policy will cost the country. His tax cuts alone will cost us 6 trillion over the next 10 years. Where is that money coming from?

Interesting other part of that: his tax plan will increase taxes for people who make a middle class income and have three or more kids.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

That's not a business idea. In fact a business minded person defines waste by that which does not make money. That is not at all the criteria to use in government. Waste is bad in all facets of life and the idea that the whole government is full of people too stupid to realize that is absurd. Trying to simplify the whole thing and claim anyone with common business sense can just swoop in and turn it all around is completely ridiculous.

But that means people would be forced to critically think about what they're saying and actually use some neurons to form a coherent argument.

Too much energy.

 

[Green Yoshi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAJNntoRgA

He's a real sympathizer. ;-)

849.483 dislikes vs. 33.159 likes. Even O. J. Simpson must be jealous.